


To Tie the Knot

by PagetPaulson



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-02
Updated: 2015-09-02
Packaged: 2018-04-18 16:38:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4712924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PagetPaulson/pseuds/PagetPaulson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Was she really supposed to be happy for them?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Leaning back against the new couch and it's fluffed cushions, the brunette ran her fingers through her silky soft hair. It had been worse than she could have imagined trying to get her best friend to come and accept her invitation, but that wouldn't make her stop trying. It would kill her if she didn't want to come, and it would completely ruin the entire event for her. "I'd really love it if you would come."

JJ puffed out her cheeks, watching her son crash two trucks together. "I know," she said slowly, reaching for her coffee. "I'd like to be there."

Emily gave a nod against her phone. Just because they both wanted the blond to be there didn't mean she would be. "So how have you been? You know, with the therapist and everything?"

The single mother knew her friend was trying to be helpful, but the sound of her voice was really pissing JJ off. "It's fine. I'll just call you tonight, ok? To get everything situated for Henry."

"Yeah, of course. Bye JJ." Emily's head fell back against the cushion and she rolled her eyes. She knew her best friend wasn't supposed to be ecstatic for her because of what she had done, but for her and her fiancé it worked out.

And it should have almost brought them closer together; not in the beginning, and Emily understood that, but with this marriage it would bring them closer than they ever thought they could be.

Emily just hoped her best friend would realize that.

"Hey."

The ambassador's daughter looked up and did her best to smile to the younger man, letting him slip in behind her and turn the television's volume up a couple notches. "Hi baby."

The southerner leaned down and kissed the soft spot below his fiancé's ear. "What's the matter?"

"JJ called," Emily shrugged, knowing that her fiancé was familiar with the situation going on. "She wanted to get everything ready for Henry for tomorrow and then I asked her about the wedding."

"Did she decide?"

Emily pursed her lips, letting the younger man run his hands along her sides and her arms to try and calm her down. "Not yet."

Will turned the brunette's head just enough so he could meet her lips, making sure to give the love of his life a long kiss so she knew that he was there for her. "I think she'll end up coming," he smiled, nodding when the older woman looked at him with her dark eyes. "Don't quote me on it, but we both love her and I think she'll realize sooner or later that it's in the best interest of the children to come."

The older woman eyed her fiancé. "You love her?"

"That's not what I meant and you know it," he chuckled, running his hand over her warm stomach to get her to smile.

"Mommy!"

Emily sat up and caught the eight year old in her arms, smiling into his platinum hair and lifting him onto the couch. "I thought you were up in your room."

Declan immediately shook his head, high fiving the man who was to be his new father as they all settled together in front of the television. "I want to wait for Henry."

"Henry's not coming until tomorrow, sweetie," his mother reminded him carefully, fixing the collar of his shirt. "You don't want to open anything now?" It was Declan's birthday the day before, and he had stored all of his presents under his bed so he could open them at the party they were supposed to have when the boy who was like his brother was to come and spend the weekend.

"I've gotta wait for Henry."

Emily shared a smile with her fiancé before pressing a kiss to her son's head. They were starting a family, one the couple had always dreamed of and sadly couldn't make happen with their past partners, they just hoped that their friends and family would jump on board.


	2. Chapter 2

"Henry!"

The five year old ran past his father and into the house, letting his soon-to-be stepmother wrap him up in a hug and hike him on her hip. "Hi Emily!"

Emily grinned into his blond hair, tickling his stomach before poking him gently on the nose. "How are you, baby?"

"So good!"

The agent's eyes widened. "So good?"

Henry nodded, wrapping his arms tight around his neck. "I missed you."

Emily smiled and let the young boy kiss her cheek. "I missed you too, sweetie." She looked up to see her friend standing in the doorway with a hand on her hip, and the agent quickly set the five year old down on the ground and slapped his butt. "Declan is in the backyard, ok? But you stay out of the pool."

Leaning against the door, the blond woman nodded to the couple that stood before her. "Hey."

Emily tried for a small smile. "Hey," she said softly, taking the bag that was for Henry's two night stay at the house. The agent was still surprised that JJ had been nice enough to let them keep him for the past few weekends. "How are you?"

"Fine," she nodded. "How's Declan?"

"He's good, he says hi."

JJ gave a forced smile before standing straight, brushing the dust from her jacket. "Ok, well I have to get going."

Emily bit her lip, feeling Will's arm slip around her waist to try and offer her the smallest amount of comfort he could. "Do you maybe want to come in for a minute? Have a cup of coffee?"

"No thanks, I'm trying to cut back on caffeine."

"Oh," the ambassador's daughter nodded, laughing gently to the blond woman. "One of those cleanses everyone is going on? I'd never be able to with the addiction to sugar I have."

JJ smiled in spite of herself. "Yeah, you and your ice cream." Her eyes flickered over to her ex and watched as he slowly slipped back into the house, wanting to leave the women to themselves, and kiss Emily's cheek. "I really do have to go."

Emily slowly nodded her head. "Yeah, ok." Before the younger woman could leave, Emily stepped outside onto her stone walkway and into the bright sun. "JJ?"

Slowly turning to face her friend, the single mother tried to smile. "Yeah?"

"You look great."

JJ glanced down to what she was wearing and scuffed her shoe along one of the stones. "Yeah, I know." She loved hearing her friend's laugh, and she looked back up to her. "You do too." Her eyes narrowed slightly, falling to the ambassador's daughter's chest. "Have you had your breasts done?"

Emily's eyes widened. "God no," she snorted, glancing down to her chest. "I've just gained a little weight."

"Well they'll definitely look good in your dress."

The brunette blushed. "So have you thought about it?" she questioned, wanting dearly for her friend to attend her wedding. "I'll even set out a special dish for you and your new diet," the bride-to-be joked.

JJ did her best to smile to her friend before shaking her head. "I don't know, Em," she sighed. "You need to look at it from my perspective."

"I understand that, Jay. But I want you to be there." Her eyes were pleading with the younger woman as she heard the boys running around inside. "You're my best friend."

The blonde's eyes grew sad. Emily was her best friend, and she always would be no matter what they went through, but this wasn't something she could just get over.

Emily shrugged, stepping closer to the younger woman. "I'm sorry for what happened, you have to believe me," she whispered. "But I love him."

JJ stiffened at the words.

"Please just think about it."

The single mother gave a stiff nod as she retreated back to the driveway. "I'll call you." She practically made a run for her car as her friend walked back into the house, the beautiful three story house that sat right on the beach that JJ was absolutely jealous of, and slammed her car door behind her.

Emily sighed as she set her stepson's bag down and caught both boys in her arms, grinning as she kissed both of their cheeks. "Who wants to go sit on the sand?"

"Mommy! I have to show him first!"

Emily's jaw dropped. "How could I forget?" she gasped, knowing how badly her son wanted to show his presents to his brother. "You both go and look at the presents before we all get changed, ok? Then we'll head out to the sand."

Declan nodded feverishly before charging up the steps.

"You be careful!"

Will came up behind the beautiful woman and kissed her behind her ear, letting her lean back against his chest. "Henry loves you."

Emily snorted. "I would hope so," the brunette smiled, turning in her fiancé's arms. "It would be helpful if he liked me."

"She's going to come around."

The brunette slowly nodded her head. "You keep saying that, but I'm not sure."

Will frowned. "Do you want me to talk to her?"

The older woman immediately shook her head at the question, pulling from Will's arms so they could walk up to the bedroom. "That would make everything so much worse," the mother groaned. "We just need to let her cool off." It's not as if they had an affair and finally told everybody about their love for each other, but just after JJ had broken up with her southern lover, Emily had started to feel feelings. When he had dropped Henry off to her for a playdate with her son, they had admitted their feelings and had fallen in love.

"It's going to be fine."

Emily let out a breath, searching her drawers for her favorite bikini. "She's my best friend. I just want her to be happy for me."

Will nodded. "She probably is," he shrugged. "Maybe not for who you're in love with but for you being in love. Point blank, she's happy for you."

"Do you hear what you say when you say it?"

Will frowned at the older woman. "I'm trying to help."

"What would help," Emily sighed as she turned to face her fiancé, "is if we stopped talking about it. I can't be brought down every time I think or talk about her, ok? I just want to be happy." She turned, feeling Will's hands start to massage her shoulders as she looked into the mirror. She just wanted to feel happy for once.


	3. Chapter 3

Throwing her son to the other side of the pool, the FBI agent laughed, falling back against her fiancé's chest as she watched him try to splash at her from yards away. "Try again, baby!"

Declan laughed. "Mom!"

Will went running as fast as he could to the deeper end and picked the young boy up in his arms, his flailing body above his head. "Who's the champ?"

Declan couldn't help himself as he continued to wiggle in the southern man's arms. "I am!"

"Who's the champ?" the officer repeated, sharing a large smile with his fiancé at the other end of the pool as he bounced the eight year old above him. "Who is it?"

"You! It's Will!"

Emily let Henry cling to her in the water as she watched the younger man who treated her son as if he were her own let Declan splash back down into the water safe and sound, his laughter loud and echoing out to the surf just down the hill.

"Aunt Penny!"

The brunette in the pool turned and watched her friends come out into the backyard. "Hey," she grinned. "What do you have there?"

"I'm sorry sweetums, what's a pool party without a margarita?"

Emily felt herself chuckle as she climbed out of the water, very aware of her love's eyes on her from the water before she covered herself in one of her fluffiest towels. "Thank you," she smiled, taking a drink from her friend before sitting beside her boss. "You want one?"

"One of those girly drinks?" the unit chief scoffed, grabbing a beer from the cooler. "No thank you."

Emily's jaw dropped as Penelope sat down beside her. "Ok, manly man."

The technical goddess rolled her eyes and set the bowl of chips and salsa she had stolen from her friend's kitchen down on one of the small tables that sat around the pool. "He's just scared of my beautiful mixture," she smiled, showing them both her full glass of alcohol. "Remember last time? Both of you two woke up the next day not remembering puking on one another in my home."

The two brunettes grimaced at the memory and the glare their friend was shooting them, and after one sip Emily quickly set the glass down. "Maybe I'll take it slow."

"Mommy!"

Emily looked up and caught her son in her arms. "No running," she warned, pointing to all the wet spots around their pool. "You know that."

Declan sulked. "Sorry."

"What did you need?"

The blond boy pointed to the house.

Turning, the BAU agents could all see JJ standing by the gate to the backyard, and Emily's eyes widened. What was she doing there?

Emily pressed a kiss to her son's head before leaving him with her friends, leaving the towel behind as she made it all the way to her gate. "JJ," she nodded, shaking out her wet hair as she looked the woman in her leather jacket and scarf up and down. "You're not sweating?" the brunette laughed.

The younger woman shook her head.

Emily frowned. "So what are you doing here?" Her voice softened, seeing that familiar look on her friend's face as her arms crossed. "What's wrong?"

JJ gave a shaky sigh before shaking her head, averting those baby blue eyes from her best friend. "I need to get Henry?"

"Jay," the older woman whispered, opening up the gate and stepping outside. "What's happened?"

The blond looked up. "My mom died."

Emily could feel her heart stop and drop into her chest, and her arms automatically came up and wrapped around her friend's neck. "Oh my God Jen, I'm so sorry." She let her friend fall against her, pressing her lips against that shining blond hair. "What happened?"

"She had a heart attack," she hiccupped, sobbing into the older woman's neck. "My dad rushed her to the hospital but they couldn't help."

Tears stung the ambassador's daughter's eyes. "I am so sorry, sweetie," she whispered, trying her best to stay strong for her friend. No matter what she and her best friend had gone through, Sandy Jareau was always there for her. "What do you need?"

"I need Henry," JJ nodded, standing straight and immediately wiping her tears from her face. "I need to take him home."

"Of course." The older woman called the young boy over and carried him inside to get changed, leaving her best friend with her fiancé standing between the front and the backyard.

"Jen," the southerner whispered, seeing the pain on his ex's face. "Chere, I'm so sorry."

JJ wiped the back of her hand against her cheek before looking the older man in the eye. "I don't want to talk," she whispered. "I just want Henry and I want to get back to my dad."

Will nodded. "I understand."

The brunette woman came back out of the house and handed the five year old boy off to his mother, feeling uncomfortable standing beside the man she loved with her friend brokenhearted before them. "Can we do anything?"

JJ took in a breath before shaking her head. "I'll text you," she husked. There was nothing anyone could do to help her through this.

"I'm a phone call away," the other agent insisted, watching as Henry immediately cuddled into his mother's side. "I always am."

The blond bit her lip. "I know."

Will held onto his fiancé's hand as he watched his ex carry their son off to the car, and she refused to tear his eyes away as Emily crumpled into his arms, her tears soaking the skin of his neck.


	4. Chapter 4

"You have to quiet down," the brunette woman tried to whisper as sweetly as she could, her hand holding tight onto her son's. "We'll be inside in just a minute."

Declan groaned, falling against his mother's side as they waited on the line of mourners who tried their best to get into the church. "Mom, I'm tired." He had waited to see Henry all day, and now he didn't even know if he was going to be awake.

Emily ran her hand over his platinum blond head of hair and shook her head. "We have to not complain tonight, do you hear me? Henry's mom is very upset and we have to do our best to help her."

"How?"

Leaning down, Emily pressed a small kiss to her son's forehead. "We have to be nice and smile at her, and we have to be very quiet."

Declan somberly nodded his head and clutched his mother's hand as they made their way into the church, and he immediately perked up when he saw his mother's fiancé sitting in the front row of the church. "Mommy look!"

The agent quickly quieted her child as she met the eyes of her teammates. "Sweetie, go and sit with everyone, ok? I need to say hi to JJ." She stood up straight and walked forward as her hands smoothed down the black satin of her dress. She had done her best to try and give everything she could to her best friend within that week, offering to help her with the services for her mother and promising to watch Henry for her if she wasn't able to handle the grief Emily knew her friend was going through, but JJ had refused everything she had tried to do for her.

Picking up her head from wiping her tissue underneath her nose, JJ watched as her best friend stepped up to her with a nervous smile on her face. "Hi," she whispered.

"Hi sweetie," the older woman nodded solemnly, thanking God that the blond let her take her hands in hers. "I'm so sorry, Jen. How are you doing?"

JJ slowly shook her head, letting her friend run her thumbs along the backs of her hands. Emily's father had passed away not three years ago, and the mourning woman knew just how hard it was on her friend and how much she did to make Emily feel better. "I've been better." She had never felt so drained in her life.

Emily tried for a smile before letting those soft hands go. "You don't mind I'm here?" she asked carefully, not sure if she had overstepped her bounds. JJ hadn't been in favor of her lately.

"Of course not," the younger woman breathed, shaking her head. "Thank you for coming."

The mother of one gave a tight smile and made her way to the front row, sitting beside her fiancé and boss with her son right on her lap. "Wave to JJ, baby."

JJ smiled as best she could to the blond boy before making her way up to the podium.

Henry squirmed off of his father's lap and stomped around on the tile floor. "Mommy!"

Will shook his head, taking his son's hand in his and tugging him back toward the pew. "Stop it, Henry. Mommy is busy right now."

"Mommy!" he cried, his big blue eyes looking up to his mother at the altar as he pouted.

Leaning down, Emily took the five year old's hand from her fiancé's and led him back to the seat. "Sweetie, will you sit with me and your daddy for a few minutes? Your mommy is really busy right now."

Henry frowned. "Mommy's right there."

"You see everyone around us?" she asked quietly, letting Declan slip off her lap and down beside her on the pew. "Your mommy has to talk to all these people for a little while."

"Why?"

Emily took both of his hands. "You remember what daddy said about your Grandma Sandy? Your mommy has to tell them all about what happened."

Henry pouted and lifted his arms, snuggling into his father's fiancé when she picked him up and settled him on her lap. "I want mommy."

"I know, sweetheart," the agent cooed, hearing her friend greet everyone in the church, "but she'll just take one minute. Can you sit here with Declan and just stay quiet for a little bit?"

The five year old looked up to the woman who held him. "Is mommy sad?"

Emily pressed a gentle kiss to her fiancé's son's forehead and held him tight to her chest. "Mommy's strong," she smiled, her eyes brimming with tears. "She's going to be ok."

JJ bit her lip as she looked out to the crowd that had come for her mother, and her chest tightened. "Thank you all once again for coming," her voice husked, nodding to the other mourners. "I know my mother would love the attention." Hearing the laughter from her friends and family was supposed to make her feel better and easier about the situation, but for some reason her mood darkened. "I'm so sorry that you all have to be here today, I wish we didn't, but these things happen every day. My mother loved each and every one of you, and I know so many instances where she told me what she wanted for her funeral." She took in a breath, her hands gripping the sides of the podium. "This is perfect."

Will felt his fiancé's hand clench around his as they watched the blond up on the altar.

"She would have loved to see every one of you here."

The brunette woman in the front row watched as her friend's knuckles turned white and her eyes widened, and Emily leaned forward in her seat. "Is she ok?" she whispered to her friend beside her.

JJ set a hand to her head. The entire room was spinning.

Emily immediately put Henry in Hotch's lap and whispered harshly to Will to get her some water, running up the marble steps and taking her friend in her arms. "JJ?" she tried, loud enough for everyone else to hear. "JJ, can you hear me?"

"I can't feel my legs."

The agent helped her friend to the seat behind the podium as she heard the guests start to stand and ask questions, her hand immediately going to JJ's forehead. "Honey, can you hear me?"

JJ's eyes were wide, and she slowly nodded her head so the pain wouldn't radiate around her skull. "Emily?"

"That's right Jay, it's me," the older woman smiled, taking the water bottle from her fiancé who knelt next to her on the stage. "Here, open your mouth for me."

Will watched as the blond let his fiancé gently tip her head back and pour a trickle of water down her throat. "Chere? You ok?"

The blond mother of one blinked a few times. "I was seeing spots," she groaned quietly, letting Emily give her another sip of the water.

"You ok?" Emily whispered, squeezing the younger woman's hand and waiting until she could muster up enough strength to reciprocate. "What happened?"

"The fucking service," she cried, letting Emily push back her hair. "I've been up for three nights in a row. I can't sleep, I can't eat," the blue eyed woman complained. "I just want to rest."

Emily felt her eyes sting at the proclamation, and didn't think twice about leaning in and kissing her friend's head. "You sit right here. Don't move, ok? I don't want you to get hurt."

JJ gave a painful shake of the head. "Stop," she begged, knowing exactly what the older woman was going to do as she stood from her seat. "You don't have to."

"Of course I don't," the agent smiled sadly. "I want to."

JJ watched with sad eyes as her friend took her spot at the podium, reassuring all those who had come to mourn the loss of her mother that everything would be ok and that they'd continue on with the service as planned. Emily was the best friend she could have ever imagined, and sitting there with her ex's hand rubbing up and down her shaking arm as the BAU agent took her spot in running her mother's service, JJ made her decision.

She was going to the wedding.


End file.
